Hand paddle as an aid to swimming



June 4, 1929. G; G, @BERTSON 1,715,571

HAND PADDLE AS AN AID TO SWIMMING Filed May 19, 1928 W5. W.B \ALE f F\c\.1. 1 I RG2. F1615.

7 arms and hands.

Patented June 4, 19 29.

I may;

, GEORGE GALLOWAY ROBERTSON, or scorn SHIELDS, EN LA D.

HAND PADDLE AS An AID TO swim/name:

Application filed May 19,

This invention relates to hand paddles for swimming and has in contemplation a device to enable the swimmer to obtain much greater propulsion from the action of his The paddle usually consists of a more or less flat surface of suitable materials which is easily grasped by the hand and fingers. I

In order that my said invention may be more easily understood, I append hereto one sheet of drawings. In these drawings the right hand paddle is always shown.

Appliances to aid swimming have hereto: before been proposed, but my present invention differs from all revious appliances in that the hand and nger's have a firm grip on the body of the paddle or on the handle of the paddle. movements of the paddle which cannot'be avoided where bands are the only means of attachment. This appliance is especially applicable to the over arm or similar swimming strokes, in which the arm and hand are brought forward out of the water. It may however be also used in those strokes in which the arms are kept under water. 7

The paddle P may be made to rest on the palm of the hand and front of the arm, in which case the hand'and arm will push the paddle through the water as in Figs. 1, 2, 8, 4, 6, and 9; or it may be made to reston the back of, the hand and arm, in which case the limb will pull the paddle through the water as in Figs. 5 and 8; or again it may be adapted to be used on either thefront or back of the limb. The Figs. 8 and 9 show the same paddle used on the back and front of the limb. I

The paddle may vary slightly according to which of these positions it occupies.

The hand may grip that edge of the paddle which is farthest from the shoulder when the arm .is extended as in Figs. 1 and 2, and a notch N may be made to accommodate the fingers and thumb as in Fig. 4. The edges over which the hand folds may be rounded and thickened as at Gr' in Figs. 3, i, 7, 8, and 9. V r

Another method by which the hand may obtain a hold is by passing through an opening in the paddle, see H in Figs. 6 and, 7. I

This prevents the tend right up, to the shoulder.

1928. Serial m5. 279,153. Y i

The edge over whichthe hand folds may I again be thickened. A series of holes to accommodate the fingers and thumb ma alsobe used as a grip or hand hold.

A raised bar orother rigid handle also makes a suitable hand hold especially in the pull variety, seejR in Fig. 5.

A fixed or adjustable wrist or armjband W. B. through which the arm passes, is fitted to the paddle and prevents it falling away from the limb. More than one band may be employed. In Fig. 8 the band passes through the paddle so that it can be used on the otherside: as in Fig. 9.

The band may be substituted by a sleeve or glove or mitten attached to the paddle.

The paddle may be curved as in Figs.i7, 8, and 9 and it may alsov be made to present a concave or convex surface; It may be concave from side to side the hand and. arm

resting in the concavity, or a groove'may be made to accommodate the arm. It might also be made corrugated for strength when made of thin material. I

In thev drawings the paddles are shown more or less rectangular but. they may be made any suitable shape.

Thepaddle may extend as far as desired past thefingers in both the push and pull varieties, see dotted line in Fig. 6.. It may also be as wide as one wishes, and may ex- It may be made hollow to make'it light and buoyant, in which case it would help to support the swimmer like a lifebuoy.

A similar buoyant effect would be' obe able part of the paddle. v 1 Where the paddle is made of a frame with.

'tained by having hollow blisters in any suitfabric stretched across it, the frame where" the arm presses maybe bent with a U-shaped notch so thatthe pressure of the limb is on y the stretched fabric and not on the'frame. Suitable'padding' may be placed on those parts on which the limb rests, or. where'it is likely to touch the body. The edges may be thickened and rounded as a safeguard against injury to the body. In some cases the paddle may be used quite effectively without the wrist band or bands;

Having now described my invention what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A hand paddle adapted to be secured against the front or the baok ot the arm of a swimmer, comprising a paddle plate provided with a curved'end portion having an opening for the thumb or fingers, said paddle plate also having two slots in its other 10 end portion, and an armband passed loosely through the said slots so that itmayengage with the front or the back ofthe arm of the swimmer. v

2. A hand paddle as set forth in claim 1, and having a thickened part extending along the outer edge of the curved end portion of the paddle plate and adapted to be grasped by the thumb and fingers. In witness whereof I aflix m signature.

GEORGE GALLOWAY ROBERTSON. 

